Blood Queen

Longquan Mountain, developed and matured over many years, integrated organic agriculture, leisure vacation, ecological wellness, and forest tourism. It was an excellent tourism destination around C City, naturally crowded during this National Day golden holiday.

However, tourism and vacation resources for high-net-worth families remained scarce and beyond ordinary tourists' imagination.

The commercial bus continued deeper into Longquan Mountain's interior until the entire world transformed into unique autumn mountain colors of red, yellow, and green, finally entering a valley resort nestled against mountains and water.

Looking around, this resort embedded in the quiet valley exuded exquisite retro charm everywhere, with almost all buildings constructed from natural stone and wood.

Small bridges over flowing water, continuous forest sounds, distant rocks, waterfalls, pools, streams, and red-leafed forests together formed a simple, natural, leisurely elegant scroll.

Stepping off the commercial bus, Jiang Yao discovered a large group of people already waiting in the parking lot.

Besides two female Attendants familiar from Golden River Club, everyone else had unfamiliar faces, nearly twenty people in total. Still typical Hyacinth style–few men, many women, basically all low-level Blood Servants unable to control their pheromone overflow.

Among those waiting, an unfamiliar, boxer-like burly man was particularly conspicuous.

Wan Yue got off the vehicle, and the burly man led everyone to greet them quickly. However, judging from expressions, those unfamiliar low-level Blood Servants were obviously much more restrained and nervous.

"See that big guy? That's Zheng Shaolin, Brother Zheng, an Altai Blood Clan Mid-tier Knight. Like Brother Zhao, Brother Huang, Uncle Liang, and Sister Xiao Ai, he was one of those who followed Sister Wan out of Hermit Alliance back then. Since he's stationed here long-term, you haven't met him before."

Zhou Ping softly introduced that prominent tower-like man to Jiang Yao, her eyes showing deep respect.

"Brother Zheng has been staying in this deep mountain forest? What about them?"

A mountain breeze blew past, and Jiang Yao quickly held down her small straw hat and skirt hem while curiously observing those dozen unfamiliar low-level Blood Servants. From aura sensing, they were mainly Mid-tier and Upper-tier Blood Servants.

"Sigh... How do I put it? This is actually our Hyacinth's secret camp. They're all newcomers rescued from various places. So pitiful, I was like that too... Before advancing to Attendant, everyone is centrally trained and protected here by Brother Zheng. Those with poor aptitude have stayed here seven or eight years."

Zhou Ping smiled at that row of Blood Servant newcomers standing before Wan Yue, all nervously at a loss, naturally bringing up the past: "For us, those years living here were the world's safest paradise, a place to heal physical and emotional wounds.

"Without Sister Wan, Brother Zhao, Brother Huang, Uncle Liang, Brother Zheng, and Sister Xiao Ai taking turns going out to strike Black Blood Clan over the past twenty years, people like me probably wouldn't have survived three months after blood infection.

"Without seniors leading them, newcomers have no resources to solve blood thirst, and can't master internal and external hormone control abilities. Most would die at Black Blood Clan hands. Those barely surviving, if they don't find protection, live neither human nor ghost-like lives, unable to escape being disposed of by Shadow Arrow."

After speaking, Zhou Ping rubbed her head and shook it hard, seemingly trying to discard some bad memories.

"Arranged so thoughtfully, Sister Wan is really amazing..."

Thinking of those few days when she and Jiang Yan were blood-infected, that helpless situation of falling into blood thirst isolation, Jiang Yao deeply agreed. These newcomers before her, especially females, if truly alone after blood infection, their fate would be unimaginable.

"Hello, big brothers and sisters!"

Hyacinth, or rather Blood Clan rules had become deeply ingrained. These teenagers who had long been confined in Longquan Mountain's depths all respectfully bowed in unison to greet the Attendants getting off the commercial bus.

In the cool mountain autumn air, the burly man still wore only a fitness tank top. After quietly conversing with Wan Yue for a few sentences, he directly approached Jiang Yao, his resolute and mighty face showing a kind smile mixed with amazement and admiration.

"I've been hearing Zhao Peng talk about you and your sister. A Knight in five months! Haha, too amazing! Now our Hyacinth can arm-wrestle with some small families!"

Zheng Shaolin was an outgoing person. Though he looked mighty, his speech was even more approachable than Zhao Peng. Combined with his tower-like body and muscles, he gave familiar people tremendous security.

"Hello, Brother Zheng! Just call me Xiao Yao."

Jiang Yao quickly bowed slightly, not daring to compare her achievements with his qualifications. When she looked up, she was somewhat dazed.

From this simple exchange, she had already detected a familiar quality from Zheng Shaolin's mannerisms—somewhat like a multi-year veteran soldier, just like Jiang Yan.

"Come quickly help the seniors with their bags, then prepare lunch together. Since Sister Wan is here today, I'll personally cook a few dishes!"

Zheng Shaolin shouted vigorously, and the dozen newcomers behind him surrounded them with nervous, anxious expressions.

"Sister, I'm Xiao Mei. Let me help carry your bag."

A little girl who looked like a middle school student stood before Jiang Yao with a blushing face, head lowered. Setting aside the Baron rank's impractical dreams, Knight was what most low-level Blood Clan envied and looked up to.

"Oh... thank you... um, how old are you? How long have you lived here? What level?"

Seeing Zhou Ping calmly push her suitcase to a little boy, Jiang Yao embarrassedly released her travel bag but couldn't help asking softly.

"I... I'm twenty-one this year, and it’s been here five years. I'm rather slow—still Mid-tier Blood Servant..."

The little girl blushed from face to ears, head almost buried in her collar.

"Hehe, Xiao Yao, don't abuse your senior status to interrogate people, even asking a girl's age." Zhou Ping approached and tapped Jiang Yao's arm. "Look, she's actually older than you. It makes both parties awkward."

Laughter erupted around them, both groups of Hyacinth people relaxing considerably. Even Xiao Mei smiled bashfully.

"Zheng Shaolin, this time's supplies are all in the bus's luggage compartment. Arrange people to move them in later."

Behind them, nearly forty Hyacinth men and women walked laughingly toward the resort interior. Wan Yue smiled and turned back, lighting a cigarette while strolling slowly with Zheng Shaolin on a mountain cave bridge, softly inquiring: "J City side… No errors in that Black Blood Clan group's intelligence?"

Hearing the question, Zheng Shaolin's expression became much more serious: "Yes, Huang Gu helped me scout last month, and I personally verified twice. There's indeed a small Black Blood Clan gang with only two Knights and seven Attendants. The remaining dozen are Blood Servants kept in captivity..."

Speaking of this, fury seemed to appear in Zheng Shaolin's eyes: "Those confined Blood Servants should be food supply for those Black Blood Clan—damn it, basically all blood-infected mountain village children and women. They probably ate all the elderly!"

"Sister Wan, let's eliminate them quickly, or they'll harm more people sooner or later!"

The waterfall's wild roaring filled their ears. Wan Yue glanced at Zheng Shaolin's angry face and just silently smoked.

The waterfall was right beside them, surging white water cascaded over rocks, churning white foam, then crashing violently into a concave pool halfway up the mountain. The water's fury remained, angrily overflowing the pool, rushing into mountain streams with fierce momentum, following the current toward distant valleys, ultimately helplessly diluted into countless gentle rivulets.

After a minute, tired of the water's clamor, Wan Yue threw her cigarette butt into a nearby trash bin, stretched her supple body, eyes quietly gazing at the sky, a slight smile at her lips: "Then why wait for another day. Let's raid them tonight. Destroying this Black Blood Clan nest will give this team building actual meaning."

"Good, I'll prepare immediately!" Zheng Shaolin's eyes lit up, looking eager to fight. "Sister Wan, since you brought Jiang Yao this time, I'm even more confident!"

"No, you won't go this time. Let Jiang Yao lead the charge." Wan Yue smiled and shook her head. "Perfect opportunity for her to coordinate in actual combat with everyone, test her quality."

"But the opponents are two Mid-tier Knights, one even Caucasus Blood Clan!" Zheng Shaolin was stunned, seemingly worried about Wan Yue's arrangement. "Xiao Yao is a Siberian Mid-tier Knight. Once dragged into prolonged combat, one against two would be troublesome just to survive, let alone win."

"What kind of monster do you think someone who advanced to Mid-tier Knight in four or five months would be?"

Wan Yue lightly shook her head with a self-mocking expression: "If anyone dares call me an old witch again, I'll directly throw the two Jiang family girls in their faces! Two Mid-tier Knights probably aren't even enough for her warm-up... If any real accidents occur, we'll see. As long as she doesn't lose her life, no need to coddle her!"

"Uh... okay."

Zheng Shaolin pondered the meaning in her words, his expression becoming increasingly strange and amazed.

It seemed Jiang Yao's monstrosity wasn't just due to her terrifying growth speed. She probably had other incomprehensibly frightening aspects.

"By the way, for this operation, try to keep whole corpses! Otherwise, they won’t sell for good prices. Among those captive Blood Servants, carefully select and bring back the young, honest ones. Give them some blood and release them.

"Remember, don't let sympathy overflow. Hyacinth isn't some charitable welfare institution, and my money doesn't blow in with the wind... We've reached a bottleneck now, I can't support too many people."

After speaking, Wan Yue leaped onto a protruding rock beside the waterfall, then with several bounds, disappeared among the mountains and water like an agile leopard.

"Yes, Sister Wan!"

Zheng Shaolin lowered his head, softly agreeing.

"This is too much, just leaving me alone here... You're all singing and laughing, having such fun... I'm also a Hyacinth member, right?"

In Hyacinth resort's parking lot, Zhong Jing stood with one hand in his pocket, smoking with a displeased expression.

The light golden-haired girl before him gently pressed down her small straw hat constantly disturbed by mountain wind, eyes smiling into crescents: "Who told you to follow along? Isn't this your own fault? There are dozens of vampires here, aren't you afraid they'll drain you dry in seconds?"

"Go ahead and drain me, don't be polite! Even telling me to go out and find a hotel is even more inhumane."

Zhong Jing looked at the quiet, exquisite massive resort before him, sounding somewhat indignant: "Speaking of which, even as Master's driver, shouldn't I have a separate room?"

"Haha, this is great! Who told you to always like teasing people? Now that you're being teased, feeling uncomfortable? Brother Zheng told me to take you in, your room's already prepared! Hurry up, don't dawdle, bring your luggage!"

Having teased him enough, Jiang Yao finally revealed the truth, seeming to enjoy Zhong Jing's deflated appearance.

Zhong Jing was stunned, grimaced, turned and walked toward the SUV's trunk. Jiang Yao, hands behind her back, leisurely followed.

The rear compartment opened, revealing one large and one small suitcase.

"You're so particular for a grown man traveling, bringing more than me? Is it necessary to pack two suitcases?"

Jiang Yao curiously turned her head toward the car's trunk, pointing at the two cases inside.

"Mm, the small one's mine, the large one has your clothes..."

Zhong Jing smiled and reached to press the loosely closed suitcase.

"My clothes? Wait!"

Jiang Yao seemed to think of something, frowned, pushed Zhong Jing aside, and opened the large suitcase. Inside were all women's dresses and clothing, more than one set.

"Why buy me clothes? You don't even know my measurements..."

Jiang Yao had a premonition, her face slightly reddening, eyes widening, tone becoming unfriendly.

"Isn't this for autumn outings? I brought you several sets for photo changes." Zhong Jing proudly patted the suitcase, his eyes appraising Jiang Yao: "All bought according to your measurements. Trust me, my eyes are measuring tools."

"So annoying! Is this all you think about... You're still trying to hit on me!? Who wants to wear these? You wear them!"

Jiang Yao's expression changed. She grabbed the large suitcase from the car and threw it aside. The case opened, scattering exquisite beautiful dresses across the ground.

After speaking, Jiang Yao didn't even care about her small straw hat blown away by wind, directly walking toward the resort with a livid face, leaving Zhong Jing standing alone in place.

Silently collecting the scattered clothes and suitcase, Zhong Jing sighed helplessly and picked up his own luggage.